US targets 2 Taliban, al Qaeda money men

Washington: US authorities on Wednesday ordered sanctions on two Afghan nationals said to be part of the financial network that supports al Qaeda, the Taliban and the Haqqani network.

The US Treasury named as Specially Designated Global Terrorists Said Jan Abd Al-Salam and Khalil Al-Rahman Haqqani, a move that freezes any assets they hold in US jurisdictions that prohibiting Americans from transactions with them.

Al-Salam was designated for acting for or on behalf of al Qaeda and for providing support to the Taliban.

Haqqani was designated for acting for links to al Qaeda and the Taliban as well as Sirajuddin Haqqani, who heads an al Qaeda-linked militant group operating from Pakistan.

The Treasury said Khalil Haqqani "is among the Haqqani network`s most important figures and fundraisers”.

Al-Salam, meanwhile, has provided funds to the Taliban and al Qaeda "and has facilitated training and weapons acquisition" for al Qaeda, including the operation of a basic training camp in Pakistan.

Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey said, "Today`s action exposes two consequential sources of financial and tactical support for these terrorist organisations and is part of a larger US and international effort to degrade their capabilities."

Khalil Haqqani is the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, who was designated as a global terrorist by Washington in 2008 and commands a network created by his father, well-known warlord and Soviet resistance commander Jalaluddin Haqqani.